Navigate the E-Commerce Maze: SEO Content Strategies for Businesses

Navigate the E-Commerce Maze: SEO Content Strategies for Businesses

Navigate the E-Commerce Maze: SEO Content Strategies for Businesses

February 10, 2017Blog Marketing

E-commerce can be tricky water to wade on when it comes to digital marketing and SEO. Business owners have the general mindset that digital marketing only works for online publishers, and the fact that sales pages don’t easily convert to share-worthy content does not help.

If you are an e-commerce entrepreneur, you might think that content is unnecessary, especially if buyers look more at the products. After all, buyers prefer a straightforward approach when making purchasing decisions, right? What many do not realise is that quality content helps set up the mood and assists in leaving a lasting impression on the customer.

Below are some of the best practices when it comes to creating a content marketing strategy for e-commerce:

1. Strong intent guides your visitors to making a purchase.

Producing good content works by helping your target audience go through the sales funnel without making them feel like you are doing some hard selling. Offering good information and stories about your product will not only help customers feel as if you are a key leader in your niche, but can also make them feel involved in the evaluation process of your product and drive purchase.

Take this Perfect Fit’ Jean Guide by American Eagle. The clothing apparel set up the mood by featuring the different jeans styles that buyers can choose from. This, in turn, made customers feel that they can do their purchase at their own pace.

2. Know the difference between shopper and buyer.

Streamlining your e-commerce content means you need to be aware of what a particular customer needs.

Shoppers are those that are already aware of their problem but do not have any idea about the solution they want. As a result, they jump from site to site, searching for the best deal. Buyers, on the other hand, are those that have already made their research and are at the stage where they are already filtering through options.

Differentiating the two can help you point your content marketing strategy towards the right direction. Shoppers, for example, respond better to blogs and e-books instead of good product offers because they are still at the stage of researching. Buyers react more on offers that let them understand the product more, such as free trials.

3. Position yourself well.

Keyword research and Google page rank are two terms every digital marketer should familiarise with.

Long-tailed keywords, which are contextual in form and nature, are effective for content strategies, especially if you are targeting shoppers or those who are still doing their research.

Google Page rank depends on the quality of your content and the frequency you publish content. Google prefers sites that produce fresh, high-quality content that provide value to searchers. If you don’t have a blog page, you can simply add an articles section on your e-commerce site as a good start.

4. Sell experience.

Creating an experience helps your brand leave a lasting impression on your customers. According to a research on market segments, women are increasingly becoming a force to reckon with when it comes to consumer goods sales.

Apart from the value of the product and the convenience offered by e-commerce sites, women are looking for a relationship. Women are more likely to browse websites where they can chat, ask questions, providing them with a sense of community.

Blog commenting, discussion forums, and user reviews are methods that can help create this sense of community. A Q&A section that provides additional information can also improve consumer experience and entice buyers into your website.

5. Give consumers a sense of security.

Google stated in their 2014 I/O Conference that security will be considered as an important search rank component. According to a blog published on Semrush.com, priority in search results will be given to sites that have “high-end encryption like EV SSL Certificate”.

The rationale behind this is that Google wants to create a safe ecosystem for users without threats of cyber attacks and data phishing. Logically, customers also consider security before making a purchase on an e-commerce site.

Content marketing may be a tricky maze for e-commerce digital marketers to navigate, but it definitely isn’t a black hole for SEO strategies. The key is to hit the perfect balance by making your point while also being subtle.